CAO Joins Discussion on Strengthening Accountability and the Future of Independent Accountability Mechanisms
On June 5, 2026, CAO participated in the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s (EBRD) 2026 Annual Meeting and Business Forum in Riga, Latvia, in a panel discussion titled “Strengthening Accountability: Lessons Learned, Benchmarks and the Future.” The event was organized by EBRD’s Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM) as part of the civil society program.
Moderated by Victoria Márquez-Mees, EBRD Chief Accountability Officer and Managing Director of IPAM, the panel featured Vasco Amaral Cunha, Head of the European Investment Bank Complaints Mechanism; Megan Pearson of Accountability Counsel; Arntraud Hartmann of SAIS Europe at Johns Hopkins University; and Emily Horgan, CAO’s Head of Communications.
The event brought together approximately 50 accountability practitioners, academics, and civil society representatives to examine how Independent Accountability Mechanisms can remain credible, accessible, and effective in a rapidly changing development landscape.
The discussion explored what accountability policies seek to achieve today and how mechanisms can translate their mandates into meaningful outcomes for project-affected communities. Panelists discussed facilitating access to remedy, strengthening Management Action Plans, ensuring that communities can safely access accountability processes, addressing the risks of threats and retaliation, and protecting accountability standards during policy reviews.
From CAO, Emily Horgan shared insights and lessons from current and former policy reviews, including the ingredients for an effective policy review process, emerging review insights related to Management Action Plan implementation, and ways to safeguard accountability policies and practices in turbulent times.
CAO participates in these exchanges to share lessons, learn from other accountability practitioners and civil society, and contribute to strengthening the broader accountability system. These conversations underscore a clear message: strong accountability depends on independence, trust, meaningful access to remedy, institutional learning, and a shared commitment to achieving better development outcomes for project-affected communities.
